


On Ice

by prubun



Series: RusPru One-Shots [24]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Fluff, Ice Skating, Light Angst, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-13
Updated: 2019-07-13
Packaged: 2020-06-27 16:04:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19794292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prubun/pseuds/prubun
Summary: Ivan loves ice skating, but Gilbert doesn't understand why because of his own fear of being on ice.





	On Ice

**Author's Note:**

> ##  _At that thought, Gilbert felt a small blush color his cheeks. He tutted as he felt a mix of irritation and embarrassment, and went back to drinking his coffee._
> 
> **[Posted: July 13, 2019]** **  
>  **
> 
> I was chatting with some people on Discord who inspired me with a headcanon that Gilbert is fearful of ice-skating, so here's a small drabble of that. 
> 
> Set in canonverse. Sometime after Prussia has been dissolved. Gilbert is living in Russia with Ivan since his original capital, Kaliningrad, is now under Russian rule.

The first few times Ivan asked Gilbert to go ice skating with him ended in him skating alone each time. Each time he asked was out of courtesy; to be nice and invite Gilbert out with him instead of staying home, but he also wanted something to do with Gilbert that wasn't drinking while they talked about their past wars and history. 

As time passed and Ivan noticed that Gilbert was more aggressively turning him down, he realized that there was something else going on besides just him not wanting to go. Gilbert let it slip there he'd never been ice skating before, so Ivan wondered why he hated it so much if he'd never tried it. Ivan knew where he was that morning, and found him in the sunroom of the manor having his morning coffee. 

Gilbert looked at Ivan as he entered the room. Ivan greeted him with a hello and a smile, but Gilbert saw that he had his winter gear on and his ice skates hanging over his shoulder.

"I know you always say no, but I figured I'd ask anyway..."

"No," Gilbert answered quickly without even needing to hear the question. He turned his head away and sipped his coffee. Ivan frowned and sat in a chair next to him.

"Can I ask why? You always look so angry when I invite you," Ivan asked him. Gilbert growled under his breath and closed his eyes.

"Why do you care so much about me skating with you?" he growled. Ivan fumbled with his scarf. 

"I...I'd just like if you went with me sometime," Ivan answered with a mutter. "You don't have to skate if you don't want to, you can just come with me." Gilbert could hear the sad tone in Ivan's voice and it made him feel guilty. He was considering it, as long as Ivan didn't make him skate. Gilbert let out a heavy, defeated sigh.

"Fine, I'll go with you. But I'm not skating." Gilbert was surprised when Ivan got up from the chair with a smile stretching his lips.

"Okay! I'll wait by the front door for you. Thank you!"

Gilbert watched Ivan run out of the room, wondering curiously why the man was so excited and happy now when just seconds ago he was so sad. Was all it took to make him smile just a simple 'yes' to hang out with him? At that thought, Gilbert felt a small blush color his cheeks. He tutted as he felt a mix of irritation and embarrassment, and went back to drinking his coffee.

Ivan waited downstairs by the door. Outside there were little snowflakes falling but nothing that would deter him from going outside, especially not now that Gilbert agreed to finally go with him. Soon he heard footsteps and he turned to see Gilbert stepping down the stairs dressed in his winter coat. Ivan smiled at him and swung his skates over his shoulder.

"Ready?" he asked. Gilbert looked at him and noticed another pair of skates in his hands.

"Why do you have two pairs? I told you I'm not going to—"

"I know," Ivan interrupted him. "I'm not going to force you, but if you ever want to learn, you can." Gilbert sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets. Ivan gave him that sweet smile like he always did and opened the door for him, and Gilbert walked out into the cold winter air.

Just a few minutes behind the manor was a small pond that froze over every winter. It wasn't deep and provided a safe, private place for Ivan to skate whenever he wanted to. Sometimes Gilbert would sit by his bedroom window and watch Ivan out there skating by himself. Sometimes he'd see him fall but the man always got back up and continued, and always looked so happy about it. Gilbert didn't see the big deal about a frozen puddle and skating around on it.

Once they arrived at the small pond, Ivan set aside the extra skates, sat on a large rock beside the ice, and began to put on his own. Gilbert cleared off a spot on the opposite side of the rock so he was back-to-back to Ivan, and breathed warm air onto his cold hands. He looked at the ice and felt a knot in his stomach so he turned somewhat to the right and focused his attention on Ivan, who was now lacing his last skate. Ivan stopped and looked over his shoulder to see Gilbert's red eyes watching him seemingly in a daze.

"Gilbert?" he questioned with a small tone of concern. Gilbert quickly looked away once he was caught. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Gilbert said. Ivan didn't fully believe it but he didn't ask about it further.

"Are you sure you don't want to try? I could show—"

"No! I don't—!" Gilbert shouted, but saw the surprised and hurt expression on Ivan's face, so he retracted into himself and his voice then came out softer — more submissive. "I don't want to try..." Ivan only watched him with sad eyes, noticing how the other wouldn't look at him now. He wished Gilbert would talk to him instead of yelling and then retreating into himself and trying to shut everything and everyone out. 

Without another word, Ivan stood up, brushed some snowflakes off of his long coat, and carefully stepped to the ice. Flashes of history played in Gilbert's mind and he remembered that day so long ago on a lake not unlike the one before him, and he couldn't help but shift anxiously. He was such a foolish child back then and even years later it haunted him. Ivan's foot slid across the ice and his body followed suit, and off he went. He wobbled a bit at first but quickly caught himself, held his hands behind his back, and then shifted one foot in front of the other as he skated around the pond. 

Several minutes passed and over those minutes, Gilbert grew colder and, to his annoyance, more interested in skating. He watched Ivan the entire time and couldn't help but notice the blissful smile on his face. That made Gilbert wonder _why_. Why was he so happy about skating? Why wasn't he scared? It only took a few seconds after that for him to realize he was projecting his own fears onto Ivan. Then, Ivan skated right for him until he reached the edge of the pond, he stumbled a bit as he stepped into the snow and approached Gilbert. Ivan was panting softly and looked almost like he was warm, but Gilbert refused to believe that it was at all because of the skating. 

"You've been staring a lot," Ivan commented.

"I know," Gilbert replied. "Just trying to figure out why you like it so much." Ivan smiled and sat beside him.

"You could just ask me," Ivan told him. Gilbert grumbled under his breath and shifted a bit at how close Ivan was. That annoying warmth in his cheek came back.

"Why...do you like it?" Gilbert caved in after a moment of silence, which Ivan knew would end by Gilbert asking that very question.

"It's fun." Was all Ivan said before standing up. He turned to Gilbert and smiled down at him. Such a simple answer was surprising to Gilbert. For a long while they just stared at each other, before Gilbert broke the gaze by glancing away and crossed his arms.

"I don't get it. Aren't you scared of it?" Gilbert asked. Ivan's smile disappeared and he saw a few cracks in Gilbert's armor. 

"Why would I be scared?" he asked. Then Gilbert realized that he'd trapped himself and Ivan saw him shift uncomfortably. "Gilbert, are you...scared of skating?"

"No!" Gilbert denied it and then sighed. "Not the skating, it's... I don't like the ice."

"The ice?" Ivan inquired and sat back down next to him. Gilbert sighed and turned his body just a little bit away from him.

"Remember a long time ago? When we fought on that frozen late?" Gilbert asked.

"I do."

"Remember how I fell through?" It was easy for Ivan to piece it together from there and understood now that Gilbert wasn't afraid of skating or the ice itself, but falling through it and drowning as he had nearly done as a child. Gilbert's attitude on the event had changed so much since then and it proved that he'd grown up. It was then that Ivan remembered something else from that day.

"I remember. I remember pulling you out of the water." Ivan reached over and placed his hand on Gilbert's shoulder. "I'd do it again if you ever fell through here. I wouldn't let you get hurt." Gilbert finally looked at him with wide eyes, cheeks flushed pink from the cold air or Ivan's sentiment. Possibly both. He felt his chest flutter and he turned his gaze away.

"I...guess I could try." Gilbert didn't seem to believe his own words but Ivan knew he could do it if he truly wanted to. Ivan stood in front of Gilbert and knelt down. Gently, Ivan began to remove Gilbert's boots and replace them with the extra skates that fit perfectly on his feet. After he was laced up, Ivan held out his hand and Gilbert took it.

"Careful walking, it's a bit weird at first." Ivan caught Gilbert's arm as he stumbled forward a bit when he stood up from the rock. Slowly, Gilbert walked with Ivan to the ice. "Just step onto the ice now, and try to keep your balance." 

Gilbert tried and only failed a little bit. Like a sturdy tree, Ivan was there to support him; holding onto him so he wasn't as wobbly, but as soon as his foot slipped onto the ice and his body glided on its own, he sucked in a nervous breath and gripped onto Ivan's forearm. Ivan smiled and slowed them to a stop. 

"There, you're on the ice." Ivan moved his hand off of Gilbert's arm and locked their hands together. Still, he looked at him with a smile even though he could see the discomfort and fear on Gilbert's face. Even though he was scared, he was trying, and Ivan wanted to comfort him.

"So what now?" Gilbert asked hurriedly. Ivan squeezed his hand a bit. 

"Just follow my lead." Ivan moved his right foot forward and gently pulled Gilbert with him, then his other foot followed. Gilbert mimicked the movement and found himself keep pace with Ivan, albeit much shakier than Ivan. It was a bit hard to keep balanced, but every time he would wobble, Ivan's hand would tighten and his arm would stiffen to help him stay upright. After several minutes of Ivan slowly leading him around the edge of the pond, he stopped and looked at him.

"Well? Any less scary?" he asked and Gilbert rolled his eyes in response.

"I could still fall through," he said.

"The pond is barely up to your knees; the worst that would happen is that you'd get wet and cold." Ivan tugged Gilbert's hand a bit. "Why don't you lead now? I'll follow right next to you." Gilbert seemed apprehensive but the prideful side of him couldn't let Ivan just smile at him like that and not at least try.

Ivan was very proud when Gilbert pushed his body forward and started to skate. Even now he seemed much more used to it, but every so often he'd lose his balance and Gilbert would subconsciously grip tight onto Ivan's hand like he knew that he was the only thing keeping him up.

"See? It's not that bad. Isn't it fun?" Ivan asked him as they skated in circles and in random directions.

"I guess... It kinda feels like flying, sort of..." Gilbert answered. Ivan smiled as he saw Gilbert become looser and freer; he was even beginning to smile a bit when he'd gone long periods without stumbling.

"Let's try without holding hands," Ivan said and Gilbert turned to him with an appalled expression as if he'd just said something horrifying.

"What? Really?" Gilbert's voice shook slightly.

"Do you want to keep holding hands?" Ivan asked and saw Gilbert get flustered. He was easy to catch off guard, and Ivan found it cute how shy he would get.

"No, I—" Gilbert bit his lip. "I can try it, but if I fall it's your fault," Gilbert grumbled and Ivan laughed as he disconnected their hands. He skated around Gilbert's body once before stopping in front of him and smiling smugly. 

"Not to worry, I'll take all responsibility for you," he said. Gilbert couldn't help but feel like he wasn't just referring to the skating, but he didn't want to question it more since he already felt silly for being so scared to begin with. Ivan skated backward a few feet and smiled, challenging Gilbert to follow him.

"Show off!" Gilbert yelled and then growled. He balled his fists and moved his feet to skate towards the other man. Although sloppy, unbalanced, and lacking any of the grace that Ivan had while on ice, Gilbert did finally catch up to him. When he did, he realized that he didn't know how to stop on his own and just put his hands out in front of him like he was stopping himself on a brick wall. Ivan was, in fact, much like a brick ball, and didn't move any more than an inch when Gilbert ran into him, and simply chuckled as he held his shoulders, supporting him.

"You're getting better. You'll be a professional in no time!" Ivan laughed and looked so incredibly happy that it stunned Gilbert, and at that moment he didn't feel scared about falling through anymore, because he knew for a fact that Ivan would catch him.

"Alright, you'll be my teacher then. I want to learn how to skate backward next!" Gilbert exclaimed with determination. Ivan looked surprised and then chuckled again.

"You have to learn how to balance on your own first, and learn how to stop without slamming into me, but you've always been a fast learner." Ivan took his hand again and gently rubbed his skin with his thumb. "For today I just want to skate with you, if you don't mind?" Gilbert felt that annoying burst of butterflies in his stomach again and he glanced away. Ivan noticed that he tended to look away when he was embarrassed; Gilbert wasn't as good at hiding his shy nature as he thought he was.

"Fine, just for today," Gilbert complied, but Ivan knew by his tone that they would be holding hands tomorrow as well. There was no doubt about it.

**Author's Note:**

> Writing this just made me want to go ice skating.
> 
>  **Author's notes/thoughts:**  
>  -Friendship that borders on romance is one of my favorite ways to write these two. They love each other but are too stubborn or idiotic to realize it.  
> -I really liked writing most of this fic but towards the end I didn't really know how to end it or continue. Oops.
> 
> —
> 
> Thanks for reading!  
> Remember to leave a comment and share if you enjoyed! Thank you!
> 
>  **My socials:**  
>  •[Tumblr](https://prubun.tumblr.com/)  
> •Discord: prubun#3725  
> •[25+ only Hetalia Discord!](https://discord.gg/UqsTh2)


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